The catchment based approach – where next?

David Baxter Environment Agency 2 December 2014

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/update-to-the-draft-river-basin-management-plans

Original goals Build capacity to deliver more for the water environment Look for integrated solutions Reconnect to grass roots catchment knowledge Innovative solutions

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Additional £92m invested to improve 15,000km of

rivers (at locations on map).

Massive programme of enhanced engagement and

partnership – the catchment based approach

A major data sharing initiative to open up tens of

thousands of records of monitoring, investigation,

objective setting and action planning results held

by the Environment Agency

Probably the most comprehensive economic

appraisal of water quality objective setting ever

done

16,000 investigations

Progress since 2010

Challenges EA funding from non-flood grant could be <50% of what it was in 2010/11 Catchment Restoration Fund not confirmed beyond election Government committed to growth and regulatory reform Cycle 2 sets the ambition, but affordability is another matter…. 5

Planning for cycle 2

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Baseline Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Scenario 5

Bad Poor Moderate Good High

Baseline Scenario 1

Scenario 2

Scenario 3

Scenario 4

Scenario 5

% Water body 30 19 33 81 75 37

% Elements 80 Not available

Not available 97 95 Not

available

Opportunities £12 billion growth fund with LEPs £18 billion investment in roads £3 billion investment in flood risk Environment as a driver of growth Companies keen to use ethical, community involvement to benefit their bottom line

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Werrington Brook Business case development

640

177

623 355

171

710

Benefit Summary £k

Good Ecological Potential

Reduced River ManagementCostsRecreational Revenue

Crime Reduction

Health Improvements

202 155

973

Projected Funding £k

Environment AgencyPeterborough City CouncilOther

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WFD results – inspiring action?

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26 25 26 25 25 26 25 26 25 24

0102030405060708090

100

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Percentages of water bodies at good status in England

Good ecological status/potential

Good overall status

Water bodies assessed for: 2009 2013 2014 Fish 2145 2460 2516 Inverts 2650 2790 3204 Macrophytes 255 1129 2099 Diatoms 551 1254 1298

Better monitoring – detect more problems 2014 expected to see a reduction in the number of water bodies at good status

Reasons for failure

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17 Source: Chris Rose et al, Research into motivating…to change behaviours that affect climate emissions

Remember your audience

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There is a future! Use the right language

Connect your catchment’s priorities to growth

Build a collaborative funding platform

Government funding is under huge pressure

Make it achievable

But keeping dreaming the dream

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